Laserfiche WebLink
<br /> <br /> STAFF REPORT <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />TO: Mayor Fischer and Members of City Council <br /> <br />FROM: Asia Wy, ICMA Fellow <br />Laura Linehan, Community Relations Manager <br /> <br />DATE: October 9, 2024 <br /> <br />RE: ICMA Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Professional Fellows <br />Program Status <br />ACTION TO BE CONSIDERED: <br />This is an update only; no action is required. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND: <br />On August 14, city staff provided an overview of the International County/City Managers <br />Association Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Professional Fellows Program, a cohort <br />currently held in the U.S. from September 14 to October 14, 2024. <br /> <br />ICMA has been implementing the YSEALI Professional Fellows Program for the past 10 years, <br />which is funded by the U.S. Department of State. YSEALI is a professional development <br />exchange program that provides selected participants from Southeast Asia aged 25-35 the <br />opportunity to spend 5.5 weeks in the United States. This includes 4 weeks working directly with <br />American counterparts in individually tailored placements with non-profit organizations, state <br />and local government, and private-sector offices across the country. The fellows have a broad <br />range of professional backgrounds and expertise around issues of sustainability and the <br />environment, including public health, community engagement related to environmental <br />education, environmental law, and more. <br /> <br />The City of Little Canada was notified on August 2 that the city was selected to host a YSEALI <br />fellow. Asia Wy arrived on September 14 and has been a vital member of our leadership team <br />this past month. At the October 9 City Council meeting, Asia will provide an overview of her <br />background, the environmental challenges her community in the Philippines experiences, and a <br />status overview of her project with the city. <br /> <br />YESALI FELLOW WORK PLAN: <br />As a reminder, in engaging a fellow through the YSEALI program, the City of Little Canada <br />anticipates the final work product to be a completed report for the City of Little Council to <br />review, analyze, and consider environmental sustainability for future 2025 strategic planning. <br />The final report will analyze completed and in-process city sustainability efforts, analyze peer <br />communities' best practices, identify potential nonprofit partners in the environmental <br />sustainability space, review state sustainability legislative policies and priorities, and determine <br />potential grant opportunities or funding sources for municipal sustainability work.